The Iseum Eye
Iseum Newsletter
#3
Imbolc 2004
Welcome to the 3rd edition of "The Iseum Eye", a randomly regular newsletter of the Iseum of the Cosmic Dance!
Each issue will attempt to focus predominantly on a environmental or humanitarian concern, but will also include other articles of interest.
If you wish to contribute an article, poem, spell, story, ritual, etc; please send me your work, and be sure to include your preferred pen name (for credit).
Namaste!
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Environmental Focus:
The focus of this issue is "Dolphin Friendly Tuna".
From "Defenders of Wildlife" :
For unknown reasons, schools of tuna swim below dolphins. This led fisherman to set their mile-long nets on dolphins -- to catch tuna. As a result, millions of dolphins were killed.
The U.S. Congress created a labeling program to help consumers protect dolphins. Millions of dolphins have been saved – all because tuna caught by dolphin-safe methods has carried a label assuring consumers that the canned tuna was caught by a dolphin-safe method.
The Bush administration is trying to destroy the definition of dolphin-safe on tuna cans. They would propose to allow the dolphin-safe label to be used on tuna caught using the harmful practice of chasing and setting nets on dolphins. This policy could devastate dolphin populations.
If you feel strongly about this issues, please Sign The Petition
Apart from the obvious potential devastating effect on dolphin populations, this also sets a worrying precedent for allowing false labeling on food products!!
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Sabbat Focus: Imbolc
(Southern Hemisphere - August 1 / Northern Hemisphere -
Feb 2)
The Goddess returns from the Underworld, appearing in Her Maiden aspect. Her Son accompanies Her.
The land is slowly awakening from the dark of winter.
First crops are planted (corn, maize etc).
Imbolc Herbs: Angelica, Basil, Bay, Benzoin, Blackberry,
Celandine, Coltsfoot, Heather, Iris, Myrrh, Tansy, Violet
Imbolc Recipe:
Traditional foods for the Imbolc celebration include those made
with seeds (to symbolise growth), raisins (a fruit of the Sun God), pork,
poultry, or lamb, with sides of potatoes, cabbage, onions, and garlic. Imbolc is
the mid-point of the dark half of the year, and though stored foods are running
low, it is a celebration of renewal and preparation for Spring.
The Maiden Awakes Muffins
2 cups flour
2 Carrots, grated
1/2 cup raisins
1 green apple, peeled, cored, grated
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup almonds, sliced
2 tsp. baking soda
3 eggs
2 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. salt
2tsp.vanilla
Soak raisins in hot water, in a covered bowl, for 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large non-metal bowl, mix flour, soda,
cinnamon, and salt. Stir in carrots, raisins, apple, and almonds. In a separate
bowl, beat eggs, oil, and vanilla until well blended. Stir egg mixture in to the
flour mixture until just wet. Grease muffin pan with a little butter or use
cupcake/muffin cups. Divide the batter into the cups and bake for 20-22 minutes,
or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes
before removing from pan. Makes 8 servings.
(recipe from OzWicca July 2001 newsletter)
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Focus - Meditation:
Tree Meditation
If possible, do this in the middle of a field, or at least outdoors.
Enter a meditative state.
Feel the warmth of the sun upon your face, the breeze gently touching your hair.... there is a spiral of sunlight just in front of you and as you walk up closer you see it is quite large and you are drawn into it...
It continues to spin around you, the top reaching for the heavens and the bottom flowing into the earth... as it is above so it is below... You see ahead a circle of trees and you make your way to them.. noticing that you are still within the spiral of light and it moves with you...
As you come closer to the circle of trees.. you notice they are
a particular sort of tree... and there is a particular one that draws you to
it... you greet the tree, noticing that the branches seem to reach for the
heavens above and there is a sense that the roots go deep into the earth below..
you hug the tree and ask permission to enter the grove...
As you enter the grove there is a sense of entering between the worlds.. you see
that there is a cushion of leaves under one of the trees and you are drawn there
to sit... you take a deep breath... pulling the energy up from your feet and
through your chakras and out through the top of your crown...
As you let the breath go you draw in the energy from above and
bring it down through you chakras and into the earth..... doing this 3 times...
you relax into the leaves... noticing that it is a particular time of year
within the grove - take note of the season, and of the trees within the grove...
allow yourself to sink into the earth... feels the energy from the trees around
you... be still... listen....
The trees have a message for you.. it has to do with the season within the
grove.. it relates to your life and your journey..... be still, and listen...
....
Thank the trees and the grove for the message.... once again
take a breath...... drawing the energy up from the earth.. through you and out
your crown..... as your let the energy go and bring down the universal energy
allow it to to move down your body and into the earth. sending healing energy
into the earth...spend a few minutes connecting with the earth..........
give thanks to the grove .. rise to you feet... and as you do, you notice a gift
has been placed near you... take note of the gift.. again thank the grove and
quietly leave.. returning to your field.. where
you can feel the warmth of the sun upon your face.. a soft gentle breeze around
you... and return to your body once more... being aware of you fingers and
toes... wriggle them... and bring yourself back completely to 'real time'.
Record your experience & answer the following questions:
What was the message you received? Is it relevant to your life? If not, put it away for future reference.
What was they type of tree? Look it up as it will tell you a
lot of your strengths or maybe an aspect of your life you are working on.
What was your gift?? Sometimes the gift is very symbolic of something within our
lives at the time..
(by WebWeaver, 2000, with permission)
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Ritual Focus - Tarot:
"Birthing" The Deck
The point of this ritual is to sort of incarnate a unique individual spirit that
is a combination of your spirit and that of the deck itself.
Take some of your hair and nail clippings and place them on the deck. Wrap the
deck and these items in a white cloth. Leave the package in a dark place for
nine days.
On the ninth day bring the deck out into the light and perform a rite in which
you name the deck. Use any naming rite or process of naming that you are
comfortable with. (* below is one suggestion.....)
Write the name you give the deck on a piece of paper.
Celebrate the birth and naming of the deck by offering money to the poor to buy
food (most grocery stores have help feed the children or similar donation cans,
food box depository for canned foods etc) and by preparing a meal for yourself
and the deck. Offer the deck a bit of the food and a few
drops of whatever drink you are having on a dish in front of the deck. After the
meal gather your hair and nail clippings, paper on which the name of the deck is
on, and some residue of food and liquid from the dish that was offered to the
deck itself (you only need a bit of the food and liquid, give the rest back
to the Earth).
Place these items in a clay jar, or small box.. Secure the lids and keep in a
very safe place. If the cards are lost or destroyed, the contents of this jar or
box can be used to reconstruct the spirit of the deck thru the redoing of the
initial rite using the materials from the jar or box. If you decide to stop
using the deck, you can release the spirit and connection by taking the jar and
deck into the woods, break the jar or empty the box at the foot of a tree and
hang the deck lightly wrapped in a black cloth from one of the branches.
To "Heat Up" The Deck Before a Reading:
In Voodoo (Vodou) activities or rituals that are said to "heat up" are
used to bring power into objects or the participants. The purpose of the
following is to heat up or bring power into the cards so that the reading will
carry more spirit, be more accurate, and be more easily understood.
First rub your palms together, then take up the deck and let the heat radiate
into the deck. This is feeding a part of yourself, your energy to the deck,
creating a link between you and it. Lift the deck and breath warm air between
the cards. This is warming and creates a strong link between the reader and the
deck.
Hold the deck before you and whisper that it is time for the spirits of the deck
to attend. Chant the verse..*(note again this is Voodoo oriented but you can use
any chant to whatever God/Goddess/Spirit in your pantheon rules over to give
access to information and knowledge , divination etc)
Odu Legba, Papa Legba
Open the door
Your children await
Papa Legba, open the door
Your children await.
At this point a crossroads is drawn in the air with your fingers (equal
armed cross, or if you are more Wiccan orientated, you can use a pentagram or
whatnot).
Take the deck and pass it thru the center of this cross, The crossroads
represents the doorway to the spirit-world and by passing it thru it is believed
to gain some knowledge of what the spirits have to say. Then continue with your
reading.
(Taken from the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot by Louis
Martinie and Sallie Ann Glassman)
*Naming The Deck: a suggestion
Take 3 books from your
bookshelf, just grab them, don't think about it.
Ask the deck itself which book will you find the name in, then flip one card in
front of each book. Of the three cards, which ones have face cards in front of
them?
If it there is only one book then use that book. Ask the cards what page number,
then flip three cards. Add their values, go to the page. Then ask for the number
of the word, flip 3 cards again, add their values, and count that many words
into the page.
If more than one book was
revealed by face cards, you can opt to flip again until you have only one.
Or you can use both or all three books - perhaps your cards have more than one
name as being their name.
This is just a technique, a
suggestion. You can use it if you wish. Or you can devise your own method of
naming your Deck.
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Focus - Spell:
Spell for Emotional Peace
When you are feeling overwhelmed emotionally, this is a good spell to help pick
you up. It is particularly effective following emotional upheavals.
You will need:
Clear thought oil:
1/4 ounce almond oil
15 drops siberean fir oil
10 drops cajupet oil
10 drops lemon oil
12 drops lavender oil
flower: cedar
gem: clear quartz
Sometime between the waning moon and New Moon anoint yourself with the oil and
go outside. Sit where you can see the moonlight- near a pond or stream would be
ideal. You should also be in a place where you can scream without causing a
fuss. If you have to sit in your car, that's ok.
Let all the thoughts and worries that have been haunting you bubble to the
surface. Let them churn and roll until they feel like they're drowning you.
Raise your arms to the sky and open your mouth. Begin to let out the sound of
worry, the sound of troubles. It can be a scream or a moan or a low groan, but
let it out, let it fully pour out of your body.
When it feels like you've let go of the stress, anoint yourself again with the
oil and go for a short walk, focusing on the stillness of the night around.
(From "Embracing the Moon:, Yasmine Galenorn.)
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And so ends Issue #3
of
THE ISEUM EYE
Walk in Peace!